Toyota Halts U.S. Sale, Output of 8 Models

[uls]

big news from Toyota this morning

Toyota Halts U.S. Sale, Output of 8 Models as Image ‘Tarnished’
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...5EuGAv24&pos=5

Jan. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp., struggling to stem widening quality concerns, will suspend production and U.S. sales of eight models that use a component that triggered a recall of 2.3 million vehicles.

Dealers will temporarily stop selling RAV4, Highlander and Sequoia sport-utility vehicles, Corolla, Camry, Avalon and Matrix cars and Tundra pickups, Toyota, the world’s largest carmaker, said in a statement yesterday. Assembly lines at five North American plants will be idled the week starting Feb. 1. Mike Goss, a company spokesman, said he couldn’t immediately say how many units of production would be lost.

“Toyota had a bulletproof reputation for quality, and now it’s been tarnished,” said Jim Hossack, an industry analyst at AutoPacific Inc. in Fountain Valley, California. “It’s a dramatic move, and an expensive move.”

Toyota’s Jan. 21 announcement that it will recall more vehicles in the U.S. and Canada raises pressure on President Akio Toyoda to restore the company’s reputation. The carmaker’s U.S. sales fell 20 percent last year while those of South Korean rival Hyundai Motor Co., which is catching up with the Japanese carmaker in U.S. quality surveys, gained 8.3 percent.

Toyota said last week it would recall vehicles in the U.S. and Canada because of a potential flaw in parts made by CTS Corp. that could, “in rare instances, mechanically stick in a depressed position or return slowly to the idle position.”

In November, Toyota recalled a record 4.3 million vehicles to reshape accelerator pedals to prevent them from getting stuck by driver-side floor mats. About 1.7 million vehicles are affected by both recalls.

The eight models involved accounted for 56 percent of Toyota’s U.S. sales last year, said Koji Endo, managing director of Advanced Research Japan in Tokyo.

“On top of losing sales, stopping production means Toyota still has to deal with costs such as worker wages and depreciation,” Endo said. “The full extent of the damage depends on how long it will take.”

The announcements have fueled concern that rapid expansion by the Toyota City, Japan-based company in the past decade led to production and design glitches, risking its reputation for quality.

[uls]

this one straight from the source

Toyota Temporarily Suspends Sales of Selected Vehicles
http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/t...ry-102572.aspx

TORRANCE, Calif., January 26, 2010 - - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today announced that it is instructing Toyota dealers to temporarily suspend sales of eight models involved in the recall for sticking accelerator pedal, announced on January 21, 2010.

“Helping ensure the safety of our customers and restoring confidence in Toyota are very important to our company,” said Group Vice President and Toyota Division General Manager Bob Carter. “This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized. We’re making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible.”

Toyota announced it would recall approximately 2.3 million vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals on specific Toyota Division models. Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats. There is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position.

Toyota’s accelerator pedal recall and suspension of sales is confined to the following Toyota Division vehicles:

2009-2010 RAV4,
2009-2010 Corolla,
2009-2010 Matrix,
2005-2010 Avalon,
Certain 2007-2010 Camry,
2010 Highlander,
2007-2010 Tundra,
2008-2010 Sequoia

No Lexus Division or Scion vehicles are affected by these actions. Also not affected are Toyota Prius, Tacoma, Sienna, Venza, Solara, Yaris, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser and select Camry models, including all Camry hybrids, which will remain for sale.

Due to the sales suspension, Toyota is expected to stop producing vehicles on the following production lines for the week of February 1 to assess and coordinate activities. The North America vehicle production facilities affected are:

• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Canada (Corolla, Matrix, and RAV4)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (Sequoia and Highlander)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky – Line 1 (Camry and Avalon)
• Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (Camry)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas (Tundra)

No other North American Toyota vehicle production facilities are affected by the decision to stop production.

The sticking accelerator pedal recall is separate from the on-going recall of Toyota and Lexus vehicles to reduce the risk of pedal entrapment by incorrect or out of place accessory floor mats. Approximately 1.7 million Toyota Division vehicles are subject to both separate recall actions.

[niky]

Damn.

I've heard about reports from other sources, showing that even if you pull up the pedal, the engine keeps revving. Something to do with the actuator assembly at the firewall.

Worst case of unintended acceleration ever.